St. Agatha

Born: unknown

Died: c.251

Feast Day: February 5

Patron Saint of: bell makers,
breast disease, fire prevention, nurses

Born in Catania, Agatha was a young, beautiful
and wealthy Christian girl. Unfortunately, her
beauty caught the eye of Quinctianus (or Quintain),
a magistrate that actively and brutally persecuted
Christians. When she refused Quinctianus, she was
sent to a brothel and was beaten. Failing to the
corrupt Agatha, Quinctianus turned in anger to
torture. That horrific torture included the
amputation of her breasts without the aide of any
medication or bandage to dress the wounds. It is
said that Saint Peter appeared to Agatha in a vision
and dressed her wounds, helping her survive. When
all of Quinctianus' attempts to break Agatha's
spirit and faith failed, she was stretched out on a
rack and thrown onto glowing coal ambers. During
this torture of fire, there was a violent
earthquake; her torturers took this s a sign and
they promptly ran away. Surviving even this torture,
Agatha was returned to her cell where she finally
died with a prayer on her lips.